First-time Buyers

Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the recent proposals announced to help first-time buyers.

David Miliband: The Government want to offer everyone the opportunity of a decent home at a price they can afford. We set out our overarching proposals earlier this year in "Sustainable Communities: Homes for All." We published a consultation document, "HomeBuy—Expanding the Opportunity to Own," in April. We are currently considering the responses received. Copies of both of these documents can be found in the Library of the House.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid for cattle slaughtered because of bovine tuberculosis since 2000; and to how many farmers.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table provides details for compensation paid against cattle slaughtered since 2000 in Great Britain. Information about the numbers of farmers receiving compensation is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Compensation paid against cattle slaughtered
		
			  Calendar year Cattle slaughtered (8)(9) Compensation expenditure (£)(10) 
		
		
			 2004 22,566 (11)33,785,023 
			 2003 23,177 38,215,285 
			 2002 (12) 23,013 28,898,623 
			 2001 (12) 6,320 7,074,125 
			 2000 8,400 7,307,797 
		
	
	(8) TB Reactors plus Direct Contacts
	(9) Data downloaded from State Veterinary Service database on 19 May 2005. All data provisional and subject to change as more data become available.
	(10) TB Compensation data taken from the Animal Health 2004, Report of the Chief Veterinary Officer, page 161.
	(11) provisional figures data taken from the Animal Health 2004, Report of the Chief Veterinary Officer, page 161.
	(12) In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. When testing resumed in 2002, resources were concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high risk herds tested immediately after the FMD outbreak was greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, data for 2001 and 2002 are not comparable with other years.

Flooding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will expedite the flood alleviation scheme for (a) Thirsk and (b) other suggested flood defence projects in the area; and if she will relax the point scoring system on the project.

Elliot Morley: Defra has overall policy responsibility for flood and coastal erosion risk in England. We fund most of the Environment Agency's activities in this area and provide grant aid on a project-by-project basis to the other flood and coastal defence operating authorities (local authorities and internal drainage boards) to support their investment in improvement works. Improvement projects funded by Defra, including those of the Environment Agency, must meet specified economic, technical and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate "priority score" to be eligible for funding. Defra does not build defences, nor direct the authorities on what specific projects to undertake. The works programme to manage risk is driven by the operating authorities.
	Defra operates a priority scoring system to ensure that taxpayers' money is spent to best effect and to maximise the benefits achieved from a finite budget available for flood and coastal erosion risk management. The system is designed to be as logical, transparent and equitable as possible, with criteria published on our website. Prioritisation has to be based on risk and while I understand the desire for defences when areas flood, it is not, however, a defensible reason for allowing them to jump the queue ahead of areas where risks of future floods might be greater. Making an exception for Thirsk would clearly depart from the principles of objectivity, fairness and a risk based approach.
	A feasibility study has been carried out by Hambleton district council to examine the possibility of a flood alleviation scheme for Thirsk. The best way to take this forward will be explored jointly by Hambleton DC and the Environment Agency, with Defra advice as required.

Flooding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reasons were for the delays in flood warning to be made public in connection with the recent floods in North Yorkshire.

Elliot Morley: Responsibility for flood warning arrangements rests with the Environment Agency.
	I understand that on Friday 17 June 2005, Met Office forecasts to the Environment Agency indicated the likelihood of thunderstorms across North East Region over the weekend. However, due to the nature of the weather system, the Met Office were unable, even by Sunday lunchtime, to be more specific than to warn that most of the region was at continued risk of thunderstorms from the afternoon into the evening, and they had particular concern about the Pennines.
	Three Flash Warnings of heavy rain were issued to the Environment Agency on Sunday 19 June at 13:57, 18:22 and 20:41 BST, but all the information related to "scattered heavy thunderstorms", "localised torrential downpours" and "localised flooding" with no direct time or location given to them.
	The Environment Agency was alerted to the onset of property flooding at Thirsk and surrounding areas between 17:30 and 18:00 on 19 June;. While I understand that flooding at this stage was confined to surface water runoff, the Environment Agency nevertheless deployed operational staff to the area to report back on the situation.
	At 20:00 on 19 June, alarm levels were received from the Environment Agency's instrumentation on Cod Beck upstream of Thirsk and consequently the Flood Watch for the area was issued at 20:10.
	By 21:30, Environment Agency patrol staff on site reported a rapid rise of water levels in Cod Beck and the decision was therefore taken to issue the Flood Warning for Thirsk. The warning for flooding from Cod Beck itself was issued at 21:38 to 184 recipients. By this time there had been some flooding to property as a result of surface water and drainage problems but not from Cod Beck.

Fly-tipping

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 552W, on fly-tipping, if she will break the figures down by (a) location and (b) type for (i) each region and (ii) each London borough.

Ben Bradshaw: The following data are from the Flycapture database which was established in April 2004 to record all fly-tips reported to and dealt with by waste collection authorities and the Environment Agency.
	It is important to note that the data are probably an underestimate and will increase as more authorities submit returns and get better at collecting and reporting the data.
	
		Table 1: Number of fly-tipping incidents in each English region by land type
		
			 Region Highway Footpath bridleway Back alleyway Railway Council land 
		
		
			 East Midlands 19,327 7,861 1,654 40 8,765 
			 East of England 30,287 4,837 6,043 46 19,931 
			 Greater London 193,016 21,836 3,341 232 11,155 
			 North East 15,713 8,059 35,170 78 15,884 
			 North West 17,953 7,073 37,305 231 8,035 
			 South East 38,411 5,518 4,635 68 25,052 
			 South West 16,736 1,575 1,800 10 5,099 
			 West Midlands 28,484 8,501 2,833 62 13,416 
			 Yorkshire and Humber20,839 14,816 4,465 41 152,326 
		
	
	
		
			 Region Agricultural Private residential Commercial industrial Watercourse Other 
		
		
			 East Midlands 716 1,521 757 231 486 
			 East of England 323 1,886 647 356 3,580 
			 Greater London 223 1,894 870 16 25,821 
			 North East 640 2,111 1,605 403 2,219 
			 North West 404 2,801 1,184 224 1,777 
			 South East 212 2,537 1,305 255 909 
			 South West 140 714 287 174 188 
			 West Midlands 108 2,595 1,337 120 1,337 
			 Yorkshire and Humber796 2,070 1,128 165 3,539 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Fly-tipping data based on returns reported to the Flycapture database between April 2004 and March 2005.
	2. No data are shown where an authority has failed to submit returns.
	
		Table 2: Number of fly-tipping incidents in each English region by waste type
		
			  Animal carcass Green Vehicle parts White goods Other electrical 
		
		
			 East Midlands 893 3,109 1,277 3,399 973 
			 East of England 762 5,747 2,139 4,424 1,812 
			 Greater London 976 7,330 3,370 16,852 5,413 
			 North East 324 4,680 1,456 5,237 1,730 
			 North West 616 2,795 1,080 5,014 1,988 
			 South East 985 4,328 1,863 5,249 1,905 
			 South West 710 1,712 989 2,516 1,250 
			 West Midlands 1,719 3,672 996 2,836 1,149 
			 Yorkshire and Humber496 5,327 1,481 7,406 1,444 
		
	
	
		
			  Tyres Asbestos Clinical Construction/demolition/excavation Black bags—commercial 
		
		
			 East Midlands 2,352 373 405 2,884 1,210 
			 East of England 2,138 352 99 4,683 2,282 
			 Greater London 3,640 114 87 11,312 18,916 
			 North East 1,823 248 102 9,041 2,079 
			 North West 1,585 282 273 5,822 1,740 
			 South East 2,341 356 183 4,458 1,638 
			 South West 1,029 116 133 1,996 424 
			 West Midlands 1,245 357 177 3,069 1,940 
			 Yorkshire and Humber5,875 429 594 3,218 6,036 
		
	
	
		
			  Black bags—household Chemical drums/ oil fuel Other household Other commercial Other 
		
		
			 East Midlands 8,149 275 12,524 1,493 2,043 
			 East of England 9,529 427 25,406 1,952 5,880 
			 Greater London 39,043 355 52,329 8,254 90,414 
			 North East 13,817 413 32,291 2,932 5,723 
			 North West 15,366 843 32,672 2,686 3,993 
			 South East 18,007 366 30,810 2,152 4,270 
			 South West 4,573 193 9,219 721 1,143 
			 West Midlands 14,036 562 21,844 1,891 3,300 
			 Yorkshire and Humber111,624 300 39,828 2,448 13,679 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Fly-tipping data based on returns reported to the Flycapture database between April 2004 and March 2005.
	2. No data are shown where an authority has failed to submit returns.
	
		Table 3: Number of fly-tipping incidents in each London borough by land type
		
			  Highway Footpath bridleway Back alleyway Railway Council land 
		
		
			 Corporation of London 4 0 0 0 0 
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — — — 
			 Barnet 564 4,336 86 1 27 
			 Bexley Council 131 22 0 0 9 
			 Brent 969 0 0 0 0 
			 Bromley 1,651 27 55 0 159 
			 Camden 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 6,182 0 60 0 490 
			 Ealing 1,179 576 12 0 0 
			 Enfield 142 8 32 0 20 
			 Greenwich 124 28 0 0 4 
			 Hackney 63 0 0 0 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham1,009 6,996 0 0 42 
			 Haringey 51,999 1 1 0 1 
			 Harrow 17 177 37 0 9 
			 Havering 1,339 281 134 0 3,007 
			 Hillingdon 446 244 261 3 413 
			 Hounslow 5,607 31 55 2 81 
			 Islington 5,175 0 0 0 17 
			 Lambeth 13,783 0 0 0 0 
			 Lewisham 16,706 469 1,375 139 11,248 
			 Merton 3,195 1,228 166 9 211 
			 Newham 4,330 3,908 154 0 264 
			 Redbridge 5,494 0 370 0 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 176 576 59 3 30 
			 Southwark 17,721 410 122 0 4,428 
			 Sutton 62 4 21 1 134 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,102 745 42 0 196 
			 Waltham Forest 7,095 35 417 74 361 
			 Wandsworth — — — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 39,665 5 0 0 3 
			 Kingston upon Thames — — — — — 
			 Westminster City Council 6,086 1,729 52 0 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Agricultural Private residential Commercial industrial Watercourse Other 
		
		
			 Corporation of London 166 0 1 0 0 
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — — — 
			 Barnet 0 13 0 0 699 
			 Bexley Council 0 8 5 0 0 
			 Brent 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bromley 6 6 1 1 7 
			 Camden 0 0 0 0 24,287 
			 Croydon 0 18 8 0 43 
			 Ealing 0 81 0 0 0 
			 Enfield 0 38 12 0 10 
			 Greenwich 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hackney 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham0 0 8 0 44 
			 Haringey 1 1 1 0 1 
			 Harrow 0 2 0 0 6 
			 Havering 10 86 42 6 38 
			 Hillingdon 5 355 243 0 158 
			 Hounslow 7 14 22 3 2 
			 Islington 0 1 0 0 3 
			 Lambeth 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lewisham 0 387 5 0 12 
			 Merton 9 304 39 0 24 
			 Newham 0 208 205 0 0 
			 Redbridge 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 16 17 18 1 3 
			 Southwark 0 122 163 0 40 
			 Sutton 0 1 4 0 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 8 3 0 13 
			 Waltham Forest 3 222 88 4 5 
			 Wandsworth — — — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 0 1 0 3 
			 Kingston upon Thames — — — — — 
			 Westminster City Council 0 2 1 1 423 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Fly-tipping data based on returns reported to the Flycapture database between April 2004 and March 2005.
	2. No data are shown where an authority has failed to submit returns.
	
		Table 4: Number of fly-tipping incidents in each London borough by waste type
		
			  Animal carcass Green Vehicle parts White goods Other electrical 
		
		
			 Corporation of London 0 33 6 13 1 
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — — — 
			 Barnet 0 389 220 495 198 
			 Bexley Council 0 6 11 5 18 
			 Brent 0 0 0 164 0 
			 Bromley 0 209 47 112 31 
			 Camden 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 0 250 10 897 213 
			 Ealing 105 55 6 211 30 
			 Enfield 0 0 0 8 8 
			 Greenwich 0 0 0 2 0 
			 Hackney Hammersmith 0 0 0 0 0 
			 and Fulham 0 181 14 690 99 
			 Haringey 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Harrow 4 4 18 20 24 
			 Havering 7 435 87 374 95 
			 Hillingdon 0 111 0 72 0 
			 Hounslow 13 293 40 180 113 
			 Islington 4 104 62 459 125 
			 Lambeth 5 280 18 672 214 
			 Lewisham 102 682 1,026 4,641 151 
			 Merton 37 457 84 440 180 
			 Newham 135 336 241 1434 0 
			 Redbridge 159 0 0 0 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 128 3 93 13 
			 Southwark 0 93 664 1,346 1,708 
			 Sutton 19 11 1 18 5 
			 Tower Hamlets 3 70 109 172 74 
			 Waltham Forest 336 281 214 730 542 
			 Wandsworth — — — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 40 1,428 388 3,235 1,462 
			 Kingston upon Thames — — — —- — 
			 Westminster City Council 7 69 100 368 108 
		
	
	
		
			  Tyres Asbestos Clinical Construction/ demolition/ excavation Black bags—commercial 
		
		
			 Corporation of London 2 0 0 43 3 
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — — — 
			 Barnet 63 1 0 486 205 
			 Bexley Council 13 0 0 31 4 
			 Brent 0 0 0 200 205 
			 Bromley 89 0 0 405 80 
			 Camden 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 308 0 0 594 2,649 
			 Ealing 7 8 0 24 150 
			 Enfield 8 0 0 40 14 
			 Greenwich 10 14 0 88 10 
			 Hackney Hammersmith 0 0 0 0 50 
			 and Fulham 19 0 0 282 114 
			 Haringey 1 0 0 1 1 
			 Harrow 6 2 0 12 16 
			 Havering 39 6 4 386 87 
			 Hillingdon 0 0 0 114 227 
			 Hounslow 59 16 7 182 1,436 
			 Islington 39 1 0 316 1,700 
			 Lambeth 850 15 11 1,048 74 
			 Lewisham 817 0 21 938 480 
			 Merton 124 1 1 631 186 
			 Newham 191 34 1 698 2,035 
			 Redbridge 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 10 0 0 87 87 
			 Southwark 251 0 4 1,066 585 
			 Sutton 4 7 1 5 4 
			 Tower Hamlets 278 0 0 252 281 
			 Waltham Forest 242 6 13 717 286 
			 Wandsworth — — — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 204 1 16 2,308 7,313 
			 Kingston upon Thames — — — — — 
			 Westminster City Council 6 2 8 358 634 
		
	
	
		
			  Black bags—household Chemical drums/ oil fuel Other household Other commercial Other 
		
		
			 Corporation of London 14 2 49 5 0 
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — — — 
			 Barnet 676 20 1,791 510 672 
			 Bexley Council 22 7 45 7 6 
			 Brent 200 20 20 150 10 
			 Bromley 293 1 547 50 49 
			 Camden 0 0 0 0 24,287 
			 Croydon 1,220 0 397 23 240 
			 Ealing 460 2 160 90 740 
			 Enfield 82 0 20 26 56 
			 Greenwich 22 0 10 0 0 
			 Hackney Hammersmith 13 0 0 0 0 
			 and Fulham 962 17 3,891 160 1,670 
			 Haringey 1 0 0 0 51,998 
			 Harrow 63 0 19 7 53 
			 Havering 1,762 21 1,342 113 185 
			 Hillingdon 519 9 156 19 901 
			 Hounslow 1,962 7 695 261 560 
			 Islington 162 44 1,581 170 429 
			 Lambeth 1,967 47 3,258 3,349 4,975 
			 Lewisham 1,535 0 8,726 600 452 
			 Merton 1,196 6 1,204 249 390 
			 Newham 2,125 0 587 1,252 0 
			 Redbridge 908 0 4,797 0 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 133 6 211 83 45 
			 Southwark 4,438 65 10,492 697 173 
			 Sutton 11 0 31 78 32 
			 Tower Hamlets 915 0 637 210 108 
			 Waltham Forest 857 12 3,223 787 58 
			 Wandsworth — — — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 15,449 54 6,289 1,115 377 
			 Kingston upon Thames — — — — — 
			 Westminster City Council 1,276 15 2,153 1,243 1,948 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Fly-tipping data based on returns reported to the Flycapture database between April 2004 and March 2005.
	2. No data are shown where an authority has failed to submit returns.

Gangmasters (Licensing) Act

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial resources her Department plans to invest in enforcing the criminal offences of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (a) in the present financial year and (b) in the next three financial years; how many officers in her Department will have responsibilities for enforcing the criminal offences of the Act; how many of these enforcement officers will be existing staff; how many will be additional recruits; and what proportion of their time she estimates will be spent on enforcing the Act.

Jim Knight: The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 makes the Secretary of State responsible for appointing officers to enforce the criminal offences that the Act establishes. It is currently our intention to appoint officers of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to undertake enforcement activities on behalf of Defra. The Regulatory Impact assessment that accompanied the Act indicated that the cost of enforcing the new legislation would be £2 million in a full year. This would enable the creation of an enforcement team of some 20 staff plus associated legal support. It is envisaged that the enforcement team will be additional to existing Government funded enforcement resources. Gangmaster Licensing Authority staff involved in enforcement work may have other duties. However in aggregate the resource available to undertake enforcement work should equate to some 20 full-time equivalents in a full year.
	It is anticipated that the offences of operating as a gangmaster without a licence and using an unlicensed gangmaster will be triggered in summer 2006. Enforcement capabilities will be built up gradually over the intervening period with the intention that the enforcement team will be at full strength when the offences come into effect. A programme for recruiting and training enforcement officers is being developed and funding will be made available in the current and next financial year to support this programme. We anticipate that the enforcement team's first full year of operation will be 2007–08 and that from that year onwards, expenditure on enforcement activities will be some £2 million per annum. It is not intended to seek to recover the cost of enforcement activities through licence fee income.

Radioactive Waste Disposal

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs following the release by NIREX on 10 June of the list drawn up by its consultants of 537 sites across the country deemed potentially geologically suitable to locate a nuclear waste disposal repository, if she will make it her policy to postpone for three months the deadline of 27 June set by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management prior to the release of the list, for responses to its current second stage public consultation on radioactive waste management options.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 July 2005
	No. This previous site selection exercise was abandoned in 1997. UK Government and the devolved administrations subsequently established the independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), under the "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely" programme, to provide recommendation on the best option, or combination of options, for the long-term management of the UK's higher activity radioactive waste. CoRWM will deliver its recommendation by July 2006, in light of which future policy will be decided. Government have said that once the requirements for any future facility, or facilities, is known, in light of that policy decision, there will be an open and transparent discussion of the process and criteria to be adopted for site selection. The old Nirex list will not be the starting point for any future site selection process. There is no site selection process currently on-going. Hence there is no need or justification for extending the deadline for CoRWM's latest round of consultation.

Water Metering (Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the number of households in Essex which have water meters.

Elliot Morley: Information on the number of households with water meters is not available by county. The Office of Water Services (Ofwat) collects the information for each water company. In 2005–06 there are expected to be 258,000 households that have water meters in Essex and Suffolk Water's supply area.
	These figures are published in Ofwat's "Tariff structure and charges 2005–06 report'.

Departmental Advertising

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the (a) Department and (b) non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible has spent on advertising, in the last three years broken down by media type.

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years.

John Healey: I refer to the answers given to the hon. Member for North West Norfolk (Mr. Bellingham) on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 810W, and to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 7 May 2002, Official Report, column 36W. The only type of advertising undertaken by the Treasury in the last five years has been advertising for the purpose of staff recruitment. The amounts spent on recruitment advertising, separate from other recruitment costs, are not available for years prior to 2002–03. The Treasury's estimated spending on staff recruitment advertising in 2004–05 was £151,000.
	Expenditure on advertising by the Statistics Commission, the Treasury's only non-departmental public body, was £13,000 in 2002–03, £22,000 in 2003–04, and £12,000 in 2004–05.
	Media used included both print and the internet.

Hypothermia

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the excess winter mortality rates were in terms of (a) numbers and (b) percentages in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland, (iv) Wales, (v) Greater London and (vi) the Southend area for (A) those aged (1) 60 to 64 years, (2) 65 to 79 years and (3) over 80 years and (B) all ages in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Amess, dated 6 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the excess winter mortality rates were in terms of (a) numbers, and (b) percentages in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) England , (iii) Scotland, (iv) Wales, (v) Greater London, and (vi) the Southend area of those aged (A) 60 to 64 years, (B) 65 to 79 years, (C) over 80 years, and (D) all ages in each of the last five years. I am replying in his absence. (9911)
	Estimates of excess winter mortality are not routinely calculated for the United Kingdom. However, figures for England and Wales and Government Office Regions in England are published. Estimates for winters to 2002/03 (with provisional figures for 2003/2004) can be found in the report, "Excess Winter Mortality—By Age Group and Region" on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=7089
	The most recent available excess winter mortality estimates for local authorities are for the winter 2002/03. Figures requested for Southend-on-Sea local authority are given in the table below for the years 1998/99 to 2002/03. An age-breakdown has not been provided because of the small numbers involved.
	
		Excess winter deaths(15)for the local authority of Southend-on-Sea, 1998–99 to 2002–03
		
			 Winter (a) Number of excess winter deaths(16) (b) Percentage of excess winter mortality(17) 
		
		
			 1998–99 160 23.8 
			 1999–2000 200 29.7 
			 2000–01 160 23.6 
			 2001–02 110 16.8 
			 2002–03 160 25.4 
		
	
	(15) Excess winter deaths are defined by the Office for National Statistics as the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July).
	(16) Rounded to the nearest 10.
	(17) The percentage of excess winter mortality is calculated as the excess number of winter deaths divided by the average number of non-winter deaths, expressed as a percentage.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in HM Revenue and Customs to handle (a) tax credit complaints, (b) telephone calls about tax credits and (c) compensation for HM Revenue and Custom's errors relating to tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: At 28 May 2005 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) had nearly 400 full-time equivalent staff working in the Tax Credit Office handling tax credit complaints. These staff also deal with compensation in accordance with complaints and redress procedures explained in the Department's code of practice 1: "Putting things right".
	The number of full-time equivalent staff employed to work on dedicated tax credits helplines at 28 May 2005 was around 3,200. In addition, HMRC can use another 500 staff to answer tax credit calls at peak times.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of tax credit appeals against overpayment have been upheld to date; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many appeals against overpaid tax credits have been received by HM Revenue and Customs for each quarter since 2003 Q1; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Taxpayers have a right of appeal against decisions about their tax credit entitlement and they are able to pursue with HMRC any disagreement concerning the recovery of an overpayment.
	The Department's code of practice 26, "What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?' describes their approach to overpayments and is available on the internet at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/cop26.pdf
	The code explains that the Department will not expect customers to pay back an overpayment if it arose because of their mistake and the customer could reasonably have thought their award was correct.
	To 31 May 2005 the Tax Credit Office had dealt with around 151,000 disputed overpayment requests and written off the overpayment in around 36,000 cases (approximately 24 per cent.).
	The Department began recording intake of disputed overpayment requests in May 2004. Intake each quarter from May 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			 Quarter Disputes received 
		
		
			 April to June 2004 14,000 
			 July to September 2004 54,000 
			 October to December 2004 63,000 
			 January to March 2005 84,000 
			 April to 31 May 2005 56,000

Bullying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to schools on appropriate sanctions to deal with bullying.

Jacqui Smith: The "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence" packs issued by the Department contain clear guidance on appropriate sanctions to deal with bullying.
	Where pupils do not respond to preventive strategies, we recommend that schools have a clear and sufficient range of sanctions in place to tackle the issue, and that these sanctions are publicised to the whole school community.
	Suggested sanctions include, removal from the group/class, withdrawal from break and lunchtime privileges, completion of extra written work, carrying out a useful task in the school, detention, withholding participation in school trips and events not essential to the curriculum, and fixed period exclusion.
	Where serious real or threatened violence is involved, the head teacher can permanently exclude the pupil. To further enforce this appeal panels and governing bodies have been advised that they should not normally seek to overrule such a decision on appeal.
	In addition we advise that punishments that are humiliating or degrading should not be used, and that sanctions should be applied fairly and consistently to all pupils.
	For further information, please visit http://www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying/ and view the "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence" pack.

Bullying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her answer of 21 June 2005, Official Report, column 990W, on bullying, if she will place in the Library a copy of the work commissioned by the Youth Crime Programme Board on the onset of offending and the impact of her Department's policies.

Jacqui Smith: The work undertaken by officials on the Youth Crime Programme Board was policy advice within Government, which would not be appropriate to place in the Library. This work drew on published research—in particular "Support from the Start," a review commissioned by my Department of the evidence on preventing youth offending, which is available in the Library.

Educational Buildings (Sprinkler Systems)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to make the fitting of sprinkler systems in educational buildings mandatory.

Jacqui Smith: Since April 2001, all new building work at schools has been subject to the Building Regulations, which are the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). These regulations do not currently require the installation of sprinklers in schools, but that does not prohibit local education authorities from specifying their use.
	We believe that the decision on whether to install sprinklers is best taken locally. For example, in our Managing School Facilities guide 6, "Fire Safety", we give the example of a school in an area of high arson risk as being a suitable candidate for having sprinklers installed. However, we are mindful of the need to provide more detailed advice than before. Liaising with ODPM, we have therefore produced new draft guidance on fire safety—Building Bulletin (BB) 100, "Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools". It stresses the value of using risk assessments to determine what sort of fire detection and alarm systems should be used in each school, and whether or not sprinklers should be installed. The draft of BB 100 will be going out to public consultation shortly and should be published by the end of 2005.
	Concurrently ODPM is carrying out a review of the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations and its accompanying guidance Approved Document B (AD B). We understand that this should be completed in the early part of 2006.

Food Procurement

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent by her Department on public procurement of food in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what proportion of that expenditure was covered under Crown immunity on food safety matters.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Education and Skills spent on public procurement of food a total of £619,332.85 in the most recent year figures. The Crown is not "immune" from the requirements of health and safety legislation generally. No proportion of the Department's expenditure on food and catering is therefore covered under Crown immunity.

New Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many competitions have been held by local education authorities to find alternative providers for new schools; and what the outcome was of each;
	(2)  what guidance has been issued to local education authorities on holding competitions for new and replacement schools.

Jacqui Smith: There have been no competitions held by local authorities to find alternative providers for new schools. The current requirement for local authorities to hold a competition applies only where a local authority intends to publish proposals for a new school that does not replace an existing secondary school. Provisions in the Education Act 2005 will require a competition whenever proposals are required for a new secondary school, including one replacing an existing school as a result of reorganisation, unless the Secretary of State agrees that in a particular case individual proposals are more appropriate.
	Existing guidance on holding competitions for new schools is contained in the "Information pack for Promoters and LEAs" issued in May 2003, and there is also information in the guidance for Decision Makers, which deals with statutory proposals of all kinds. Updated guidance on the new arrangements for school competitions will be issued, after consultation, when the extended provisions on school competitions are commenced.

Parliamentary Government

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department is taking to promote (a) knowledge of and (b) interest in parliamentary Government through schools.

Jacqui Smith: Understanding the role and operation of Parliament and Government in our democracy is an important part of citizenship education. Pupils learn about the institutions, issues, and practices of our democracy and how citizens can become involved in their community. The Department has supported a range of projects to engage pupils in this learning. These include working with the Hansard Society to run "Y Vote mock elections", giving pupils the opportunity to stand as party candidates, speech writers and canvassers in a mock election.

University Graduates

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research she has undertaken into (a) the length of time graduates take to find employment following graduation and (b) the starting salaries of new graduates.

Bill Rammell: From the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, we know that nearly three-quarters (71 per cent.) of full-time 2002/03 graduates were in employment six months after leaving (with a further 16 per cent. in further study alone and 7 per cent. assumed unemployed).
	However, we also know that destinations at the six month point are not representative of longer-term outcomes. Therefore the Department also commissions and monitors wider research to investigate later transitions in and out of the labour market. A survey of 1995 graduates, tracked up to seven years after graduation, shows a significant rise in employment rates over time. After two years post-graduation, 84 per cent. of graduates were in work rising further still to 95 per cent. seven years after leaving 1 .
	Data on starting salaries is also available from the DLHE survey, showing that the median salary for 2002/03 leavers in full-time work was £17,000. Other sources include the Graduate Prospects annual survey of vacancies advertised in university careers centres; the most recent estimate showed a median starting salary of £18,000 for 2003/04. This is more representative of the salaries enjoyed by those entering graduate-level jobs (and over 80 per cent. of graduates enter these types of jobs within 3/4 years of graduation).
	DfES also estimates that graduates earn, on average, around £120,000 more over their lifetime—in present value terms—than 2+A level holders.
	This evidence is continually being updated. The statistical release for the 2003/04 DLHE will be published in July, and research commissioned by DfES tracking a cohort of 1999 graduates up to four years after leaving university will be published in the next few months. Further, the Department continues to monitor labour market data and new research as it emerges.
	1 Bias, P & K. Purcell (2004) "Seven Years On: Graduate Careers in a Changing Labour Market", HECSU and also Elias, P & K. Purcell (forthcoming) "Graduate Careers in a Changing Global Market: seven years on". London: Palgrave Macmillan

Dentistry

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the percentage of the population with no decayed, missing or filled teeth, broken down by (a) age and (b) social class, in each year since 1990.

Rosie Winterton: Dental health surveys are carried out every 10 years. For adults—those aged 16 and over—the last survey was for 1998 and the results are published in "Adult Dental Health Survey. Oral Health in the United Kingdom 1998" ISBN 0–11–621268–3. That report contains analyses by age and by social class of the head of household, which includes the percentage of adults who are dentate and the percentage of dentate adults who have 24 or more sound and untreated teeth. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.
	
		Table 1: Dental status and number of teeth by age group, 1998, England Percentage
		
			   Age  Adults who are dentate Dentate adults with 24 or more sound and untreated teeth 
		
		
			 16–24 100 59 
			 25–34 100 25 
			 35–44 99 9 
			 45–54 95 1 
			 55–64 82 1 
			 65 and over 56 1 
		
	
	Source:
	Adult Dental Heath Survey, 1998, tables 7.1.1 and 7.1.10.
	
		Table 2: Dental status and number of teeth by social class, 1998, England Percentage
		
			 Social class of head of household Adults who are dentate Dentate adults with 24 or more sound and untreated teeth 
		
		
			 I, II, III NM 93 18 
			 III M 86 13 
			 IV, V 79 18 
		
	
	Source:
	Adult Dental Heath Survey, 1998, tables 7.1.1 and 7.1.14.
	For children, the dental health surveys were carried out in 1993 and 2003. The report for the year 2003, which, like the adult survey, records encouraging improvements in oral health, is available on the website of the Office for National Statistics at www.statistics.gov.uk/children/dentalhealth/. The report includes a separate report entitled, "Social factors and oral health in children", which shows decay experience results for 1993 and 2003 for 12 and 15-year-old children. The percentages of children with obvious decay experience in those years are shown in Tables 3 and 4.
	
		Table 3: Proportions of five, eight, 12 and 15-year-olds with obvious decay experience in permanent teeth, 1993 and 2003, England Percentage
		
			 Age 1993 2003 
		
		
			 Primary teeth   
			 5 43 41 
			 8 59 54 
			 Permanent teeth   
			 8 17 12 
			 12 50 31 
			 15 60 46 
		
	
	Note:
	Obvious decay experience includes decay into dentine, filled teeth and missing teeth due to decay.
	Source:
	Children's Dental Health in England, 2003, tables 1.1 and 1.7.
	
		Table 4: Proportions of 12 and 15-year olds with obvious decay experience in permanent teeth by social class, 1993 and 2003, United Kingdom Percentage
		
			 Household social class 12-year-olds in 1993 12-year-olds in 2003 15-year-olds in 1993 15-year-olds in 2003 
		
		
			 1,11,11 non-manual 45 28 58 47 
			 III manual 51 40 68 44 
			 IV,V 68 27 72 46 
		
	
	Note:
	Obvious decay experience includes decay into dentine, filled teeth and missing teeth due to decay.
	Source:
	Social factors and oral health in children, tables 5 and 6.

Dentistry

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on general dental practitioners in Milton Keynes over the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care provided by independent general dental practitioners (GDPs) forms the major element of national health service dental services. Most GDPs operate within the national terms of the general dental service (GDS), although some have opted to provide similar patient services under local contracts agreed with their primary care trust (PCT) as part of the recently introduced personal dental service (PDS). Under the GDS, the main costs are the individual treatment fees, including patient registration payments, payable to dentists; under the PDS, dentists are usually paid a regular contract value for a defined level of NHS commitment. The gross cost of GDS fees and PDS contract payments in the area of the Milton Keynes PCT are shown in the table.
	Expenditure on community and hospital dental services is determined by the relevant local NHS body and expenditure on services in the Milton Keynes area alone is not identifiable from data available centrally.
	
		Gross cost of General Dental and Personal Dental Services within the area of the Milton Keynes PCT £ million
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–5 
		
		
			 Gross GDS dental fees (21) 6.484 6.867 6.572 
			 Gross PDS payments 0 0 (22)0.097 
			 Total 6.484 6.867 6.669 
		
	
	Notes:
	(21) Gross GDS fees include all adult and child treatment fees, continuing care and capitation payments, and commitment payments. Certain allowances and costs, such as reimbursement of business rates, seniority payments, and employers' superannuation contributions, are excluded.
	(22) The PDS scheme in Milton Keynes PCT started on 28 January 2005 and this figure therefore represents approximately two months of payments.
	Notes:
	1. All costs are shown gross of any income contributed by dental charges payable by patients.
	2. Figures extracted from payment data held by the Dental Practice Board.

Dentistry

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of running the Milton Keynes dental access centres in the last three years; and how much capital expenditure there was on setting up these centres.

Rosie Winterton: The dental access centres in Milton Keynes are commissioned by the primary care trust and full cost information is not held centrally. However, the Department has made the following central contributions to the cost of this service over the last three years, which is shown in the table.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Revenue Capital 
		
		
			 2002–03 373,000 160,000 
			 2003–04 670,000 0 
			 2004–05 779,000 0

Dentistry

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated (a) by NHS general dental practitioners and (b) at dental access centres in Milton Keynes in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		General dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS)—number of patients who have been treated within the Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT) area
		
			 Year (ending March) GDS and PDS patients Dental access centre patients Patients who attended both Total patients 
		
		
			 2005 75,830 5,030 907 79,953 
			 2004 82,119 3,744 1,046 84,817 
			 2003 80,328 4,087 856 83,559 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. GDS and PDS patients—patients who have been treated under GDS and PDS, excluding dental access centres during the year
	2. Dental access centre patients—patients who have been treated in the dental access centre during the year
	3. Patients who attended both—patients who have been treated in both of the above during the year
	4. Total patients—number of individual patients treated in Milton Keynes PCT area during the year.
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board

Health Care Acquired Infections

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) wards and (b) beds in (i) East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust and (ii) West Hertfordshire NHS Trust were isolated owing to hospital-acquired infection incidence during (A) 2001–02, (B) 2002–03, (C) 2003–04 and (D) 2004–05; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health Care Acquired Infections

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died as a result of (a) MRSA and (b) other hospital-acquired infections in hospitals in (i) East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust and (ii) West Hertfordshire NHS Trust in (A) 2001–02, (B) 2002–03, (C) 2003–04 and (D) 2004–05; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the numbers of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia reports for East and North Hertfordshire National Health Service Trust and West Hertfordshire NHS Trust are shown in the table.
	
		
			  East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust West Hertfordshire NHS Trust 
		
		
			 2001–02 72 77 
			 2002–03 86 40 
			 2003–04 56 45 
			 2004–05 50 53

Car Servicing and Repair

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what recent surveys have been carried out by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies into car servicing and repair; and what the findings were of those surveys;
	(2)  what discussions the Office of Fair Trading has had with the Retail Motor Industry Federation concerning standards of servicing and repair for the car industry;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of garages servicing cars in England and Wales; what assessment he has made of the quality of servicing and repair work done by such garages; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of cars serviced in a year in England; how many cars were examined in the recent survey into car servicing and repair conducted by the Trading Standards Institute for his Department; and what proportion of the total this represents.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The most recent survey carried out by my Department (Car Servicing and Repair: Mystery Shopping Research—available at www.dti.gov.uk) was published in September 2002. The OFT published their Report (Car Servicing and Repairs—available at www.oft.gov.uk) in August 2000. This pulled together survey results from a number of sources. The findings of the surveys detailed in the OFT report were echoed substantially in the DTI survey. The findings are summarised as follows:
	Five per cent. of garages were rated very good, indicating they had carried out a thorough service, according to the manufacturer's service schedule; about half were rated either poor or very poor. There was evidence that women were subject to greater exposure to detrimental practices: overall 40 per cent.. of garages missed one or more items on the service schedule, this rose to 51 per cent.. if the customer was female (33 per cent.. if male). Performance was generally poor on providing accurate information, for example proper quotes for servicing. 61 per cent.. missed at least one of the faults found by the project's inspectors, which should have been picked up in service. 71 per cent. did not show customers replaced parts. Exposure to detriment seemed endemic and there was no significant difference in ratings between types of garage: 53 per cent.. of independent garages and 50 per cent. of franchise dealers were rated either poor or very poor. Only 6 per cent. of independents and 4 per cent. of dealers achieved a very good rating and there was no significant difference between members of trade associations and non-members. "Fast-fit" centres faired a little better with 28 per cent. rated poor or very poor for overall quality of work; however, only 3 per cent.. carried out a thorough check and rectified both simple introduced faults.
	Until September last year, when they withdrew their application, the Retail Motor Industry Federation was pursuing OFT approval for its code of practice. Since that time I understand that the Federation and the OFT have met several times to discuss the possibility of applying for approval for a revised code scheme.
	The Retail Motor Industry Federation estimate that there are some 26,000 garages servicing cars in England and Wales. I have no doubt that there are very many garages in England and Wales which provide, or are capable of providing, very good quality servicing and repair work.
	However, random mystery shopping research carried out over recent years by trading standards officers, Which? and the Department has produced results that show consistently that a high proportion of garages from across the industry does not provide consumers with the standard of service delivery to which I believe they are entitled. Regrettably, the industry has failed to produce evidence of a similar quality which shows otherwise.
	The Retail Motor Industry Federation estimate that there are some 24 million cars serviced each year in the UK. The recent survey carried out by the Trading Standards Institute was not carried out on behalf of the Department. The Trading Standards Institute reported that they examined 88 cars in the course of their survey. This is clearly a very low proportion of the annual total of services. However, the poor results for the industry from that survey are entirely consistent with similar poor results in the similar surveys referenced above. Regrettably, there appears to be no sign of improvement in customer service delivery in this sector over the period since the OFT Report in 2000.

Coal Reserves (South Wales)

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the size of the remaining coal reserves in South Wales; and what assessment he has made of the economic viability of their extraction.

Malcolm Wicks: In 2002, the Department commissioned a study into coal reserves at existing deep mines in the UK. This was carried out by consultant mining engineers on behalf of the Department.
	It concluded that as at December 2002 the three remaining deep mines had 3.65 million tonnes of reserves, which could be extracted under then current economic conditions, and a further 11.50 million tonnes of potential economic interest which had not been fully investigated or evaluated, and which would require major access development. Further details can be found at: www.dti.gov.uk/energy/coal/mine_reviews/remaining_reserves.shtml.
	An earlier study, "Prospects for coal production in England, Scotland and Wales", published in 1999, also identified 20–25 million tonnes of recoverable coal at the Margam prospect.
	Total deep mine production in South Wales since 2002 has been approximately 1.25 million tonnes.

Gas Reserves

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many days' supply of (a) long range, (b) medium range and (c) short range strategic gas reserves there is; and how this figure is calculated;
	(2)  what the minimum (a) long range, (b) medium range and (c) short range strategic gas reserves available during (i) February and (ii) March were, expressed as (A) a percentage of total potential storage of that type and (B) the number of days' supply at peak demand.

Malcolm Wicks: While there are no specifically defined "strategic gas reserves" in the UK, there are levels of storage stocks known as Safety Monitors. These are determined as the minimum storage requirements to protect loads that can not be isolated from the network and also to support the process of isolating large loads from the network. The resultant storage stocks or monitors are designed to ensure that sufficient gas is held in storage to underpin the safe operation of the gas transportation system under severe conditions. There are separate safety monitors for each storage facility type (long, medium and short duration storage) each determined by National Grid Transco (NGT) to meet its Network Code requirements and under the terms of its Safety Case. Total shipper gas stocks should not fall below the relevant monitor level (which declines as the winter progresses). NGT is required to take action (which may include use of emergency procedures) in order to prevent a breach of these monitors. These monitors are calculated from:
	(a) an assessment of the level of supply availability (beach supplies, Interconnector imports and storage) against severe winter demands of those loads that can not be isolated from the network, for example domestic loads and priority customers (ie hospitals)
	(b) to provide network support while the larger loads where physically isolated.
	For next winter NGT's current assessment of the storage monitors are.
	
		
			 Storage type Assumed storage capacity (GWh) Safety Monitor requirement Safety Monitor requirement (percentage) Days supply (at peak deliverability) 
		
		
			 Long duration storage (Rough) 34,126 6,059 17.8 13.3 
			 Medium duration storage (MRS) 7,322 954 13.0 3.2 
			 Short duration storage (LNG) 1,817 988 54.4 1.9 
			 Total 44,051 8,001 18.2  
		
	
	According to the latest data, as of 29 June 2005, the Rough Storage Facility (long-range) is just over 70 per cent.. full. This is around 53 days deliverability at maximum withdrawal rates. Medium and short (LNG) duration storage is estimated to be around 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. full respectively. Transco publish updates on the levels of stocks in storage on their website: http://www.transco.co.uk/services/summops/storage.htm.
	Statistics for February and March, as provided by NGT, are:
	
		
			 Storage type Assumed storage capacity (GWh) Actual storage stock levels (GWh) Percentage of assumed storage capacity Days supply (at peak deliverability) 
		
		
			 February 
			 Long duration storage (Rough) 34,126 11,973 35 26.3 
			 Medium duration storage (MRS) 4,962 1,654 33 6.6 
			 Short duration storage (LNG) 1,838 1,264 69 1.8 
			 Total 40,926 14,891 36  
			  
			 March 
			 Long duration storage (Rough) 34,126 8,991 26 19.8 
			 Medium duration storage (MRS) 4,962 1,878 38 7.5 
			 Short duration storage (LNG) 1,838 938 52 1.3 
			 Total 40,926 11,807 29

Science Budget

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what real-terms percentage increase he expects in the science budget in each of the next three years.

Malcolm Wicks: The Medical Research Council (MRC) spent £1.6 million in 2003–04 on research relevant to inflammatory bowel diseases, which include both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
	It is for individual Research Councils to determine the research they wish to fund. Research excellence and importance to health are the primary considerations in MRC's funding decisions. Research proposals received by MRC undergo full peer review and assessment by one of the MRC's Research Boards.
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Science budget 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 
		
		
			 Total 2,734 3,087 3,235 3,452 
			 Annual increase — 353 148 217 
			 Percentage cash increase — 12.9 4.8 6.7 
			  
			 Total (real terms at 2004–05 prices) 2,734 3,011 3,078 3,203 
			 Annual increase — 277 67 125 
			 Percentage real increase — 10.1 2.2 4.1

Asian Tsunami

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the (a) progress and (b) impact of his Department's aid to countries affected by the tsunami.

Gareth Thomas: Progress with the humanitarian relief effort following the Asian tsunami last December has gone well. A detailed breakdown of DFID's humanitarian relief spending can be obtained in the document entitled "A breakdown of DFID's Immediate Relief Response to the Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami" which has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The reconstruction phase of recovery is under way and progress is now being made, although it will take several years to complete. DFID has allocated £65 million to meet reconstruction needs. From this allocation I recently announced that £31 million has been committed to the Multi Donor Trust Fund in Indonesia, of which £6 million has so far been paid out. A further £5 million has been committed for technical assistance in Indonesia to help ensure timely, accountable and equitable provision of reconstruction assistance and rebuilding of livelihoods. A total of £2 million has been committed to Sri Lanka to help speed up implementation of reconstruction programmes and to ensure equitable distribution of assistance, and £3 million to India to provide technical assistance aimed at ensuring effective, transparent and equitable programming of tsunami reconstruction efforts. The remaining £24 million of the £65 million allocation for reconstruction has not yet been committed.
	To assess the impact of this assistance, DFID humanitarian advisers will be undertaking a series of monitoring missions to affected countries during the summer to evaluate the effectiveness of the support provided with UK Government funds. The fact that much of DFID's relief and recovery assistance is being channelled through traditional partner organisations, including NGOs, should further ensure the funds are spent effectively. The National Audit Office is also undertaking a tracking study of DFID's relief and reconstruction response.
	The impact of reconstruction spending will be assessed once the £65 million of allocated money is fully programmed and spending has commenced.

BBC Journalists

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding has been awarded to BBC journalists through the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Department for International Development travel bursary fund in each year since 2000.

Gareth Thomas: Since 2000, BBC journalists have been awarded a total of £45,584 in funding through the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association/DFID travel bursary scheme.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Amount 
		
		
			 2000 (23)— 
			 2001 (23)— 
			 2002 29,260 
			 2003 10,000 
			 2004 6,324 
		
	
	(23) No funding.

Iraq

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the contracts won by UK firms since January for reconstruction work in Iraq, broken down by value.

Hilary Benn: DFID-funded contracts for reconstruction in Iraq which have been won by UK firms since January 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Contract title and name of company Current contract value 
		
		
			 World Bank Co-ordination Adviser (Enterplan Ltd.) 142,938 
			 Emergency Public Administration Programme (Adam Smith International Ltd.) 677,175 
			 Interim Iraq Security Sector Support—Ministry of the Interior (The Crown Agents for Overseas Government and Administrations Ltd.) 2,260,800 
			 Deputy Security Manager, Baghdad (The Crown Agents for Overseas Government and Administrations Ltd.) 107,440 
			 Southern Iraq Employment and Services Programme (MOTT Macdonald Ltd.) 529,544 
			 Procurement of Accommodation Units for DFID projects (The Crown Agents for Overseas Government and Administrations Ltd.) 99,535 
			 Emergency Response Fund (PA Infrastructure and Development Services (UK) Ltd.) 427,548 
			 Iraq Infrastructure Services Programme—Procurement Specialist (The Crown Agents for Overseas Government and Administrations Ltd.) 182,132 
			 Iraq Infrastructure Services Programme (PA Infrastructure and Development Services (UK) Ltd.) 2,200,380 
			 Iraq Infrastructure Services Programme (Enterplan Ltd.) 3,251,010 
			 Iraq Infrastructure Services Programme Preparation (Enterplan Ltd.) 151,032 
			 Public Financial Management Reform (Adam Smith International Ltd.) 1,038,568 
			 Project Manager—Installation of Accommodation Units (The Crown Agents for Overseas Government and Administrations Ltd.) 30,880 
			 Iraq Infrastructure Services Programme—Senior Adviser to Ministry of Electricity (The Crown Agents for Overseas Government and Administrations Ltd.) 301,990 
			 Total 11,400,972 
		
	
	Many UK firms have won contracts for reconstruction work in Iraq which have not been funded by the UK Government. British companies are not required to report details to the Government of such work.

Meteorological Office

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much revenue was generated from customers in the public and private sectors by (a) the weather centres in (i) Aberdeen, (ii) Belfast, (iii) Birmingham, (iv) Cardiff, (v) London and (vi) Manchester and (b) the Meteorological Office headquarters in Exeter in each year since 2000.

Don Touhig: The Meteorological Office civil centres are not stand alone business units. They are primarily forecasting production units drawing on, and contributing to, other parts of the Met Office in order to deliver outputs. It is not therefore possible to provide information on revenue generation by individual civil centres.

Out-of-town Shopping Centres

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact on traffic levels of the (a) expansion of out-of-town shopping centres and (b) reduction of local post offices, local bank branches and independent retail shops over the last 10 years.

Karen Buck: As set out in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres, published in 2005 it is for local planning authorities, when selecting appropriate sites for allocation, to have regard to whether a new site is or will be accessible and well served by a choice of means of transport, especially public transport, walking and cycling, as well as by car; and the level of impact on car use, traffic and congestion.
	My Department has made no assessment of the impact on traffic levels of the expansion of out-of-town shopping centres, reduction of local post offices, local bank branches and independent retail shops over the last 10 years. However, all applications for development are subject to the provisions set out in DTLR Circular 04/2001, "Control of Development Affecting Trunk Roads and Agreements with Developers under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980". Under these provisions the Highways Agency requires detailed assessments of the traffic impacts of planning applications, including applications for new retail developments, which potentially impact on the trunk road network. In addition, Planning Policy Guidance Note 13: Transport, published in 2001 requires that, where developments will have significant transport implications, transport assessments should be prepared and submitted alongside the relevant planning application so that planning authorities can better assess the application.

Press Officers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press officers the Department and its predecessors employed in each year since 1997; and what the cost was in each year.

Karen Buck: The average number of full-time equivalent press officers employed by DfT and their cost for the years 2002–03 to 2004–05 broken down between the central department and the agencies is:
	
		Press officers
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Transport (Central) 12.71 13.8 13.8 
			 Driving Standards Agency 2.0 2.0 2.0 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing  Agency 7.0 7.0 7.5 
			 Highways Agency 6.0 6.0 6.0 
			 Maritime and Coastguard  Agency 2.0 2.0 2.0 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services  Agency 1.0 1.0 2.0 
		
	
	
		
			£ million 
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Transport (Central) (24)0.51 0.70 0.70 
			 Driving Standards Agency 0.04 0.06 0.06 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing  Agency 0.14 0.15 0.18 
			 Highways Agency 0.21 0.22 0.23 
			 Maritime and Coastguard  Agency 0.08 0.09 0.11 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services  Agency 0.02 0.02 0.04 
		
	
	(24) Covers the 10-month period from the creation of the department in late May 2002.
	Note:
	Agency figures are for the full year.
	Information for each of the financial years between 1997 and 2002, when transport policy formed part of the remit of the former Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, is not available in a comparable format.
	Detailed information on the numbers of permanent press officers employed in central departmental press offices, including the former Department of Transport (DoT) for the financial year 1996–97, was provided in a memorandum dated 16 June 1998 to the Select Committee on Public Administration and published in its report on the Government Information and Communication Service (HC 770) in July 1998 (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmpubadm/770/77002.htm).
	Staff numbers and costs for press officers in the Department's agencies in 1997–98 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Roads

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken by the Highways Agency to evaluate the environmental impacts of route improvements to the A21.

Stephen Ladyman: The environmental impact of all motorway and trunk road improvement schemes is evaluated and assessed as required under of the Highways (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999 and in accordance with the Highways Agency's Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Volume 5 "Assessment and Preparation of Road Schemes", Volume 10 "Environmental Design", and Volume 11 "Environmental Assessment". Improvements to the A21 are subject to these procedures, and includes consultation with the statutory environmental bodies, whose comments and concerns are taken on board where possible.

Roads

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he gives to the Highways Agency on assessing road improvement schemes associated with accident block spots.

Stephen Ladyman: All Highways Agency improvement schemes are assessed against the five criteria outlined in the Government's New Approach To Appraisal (NATA): safety, economy, environment, accessibility and integration.
	The safety and economic benefits of a scheme are calculated according to the methodology given in the Cost Benefit Analysis (COBA) manual (Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Vol. 13). This takes account of the latest data on accident rates, and their costs. The methodology estimates the reduction in number of personal injury accidents due to the proposed road improvement.
	The COBA manual is published by The Stationary Office. Advice regarding the application of NATA is included in "Applying the New Multi-modal Approach to Appraisal to Highway Schemes" (known as "The Bridging Document") published by the Department for Transport and available on their Transport Analysis Guidance website, WebTAG www.webtag.org.uk.

Seafarers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many UK citizens are employed as seafarers on UK registered ships, broken down by (a) officers and (b) crew.

Stephen Ladyman: We do not keep separate records of the numbers of UK seafarers by the flag state of the ship on which they are employed. The estimated numbers of UK merchant navy officer and ratings are as follows.
	
		
			  2004 
		
		
			 Officers 15,800 
			 Ratings 9,600 
			 Total 25,400 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Officer and ratings estimates comprise deck, engine, technical and hotel/catering grades. Cadets are excluded.
	2. Estimates for 2004 are taken from "UK Seafarer Statistics", published by DfT.

Middle East

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost of damage caused to projects funded by the European Union in Gaza and the West Bank as a result of actions by (a) the Israeli security services and (b) other groups active in the area.

Kim Howells: Volume 2 of the International Development Committee report on Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, published in February 2004, gives the estimated figure for "physical damages inflicted by Israel Defence Force attacks to EU funded development projects" as just under £25 million. This covers the period May 2001 to February 2004. We are not aware of any estimates made since February 2004.
	We are not aware of any estimate being made for damage to EU funded projects caused by the actions of other groups in the area.

Asylum Seekers (Legal Aid)

David Davis: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost was of legal aid for asylum and immigration cases in each year since 1997.

Bridget Prentice: The legal aid expenditure 1 for asylum and immigration cases in each year since 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1996–97 26.1 
			 1997–98 35.2 
			 1998–99 53.3 
			 1999–2000 61.4 
			 2000–01 81.1 
			 2001–02 129.4 
			 2002–03 176.2 
			 2003–04 203.0 
		
	
	(26) It is now practice to quote expenditure/budgets in resource terms. However, since the question covers years prior to the adoption of resource accounting the answer has been given in cash terms for the purpose of continuity.
	Before April 2003 there was no separate, specific budget set for expenditure on immigration and asylum matters. In co-operation with the Home Office, we set up a Single Asylum Fund (SAF) to improve overall control of immigration spend. The figures given above for expenditure in that year form part of the SAF budget.

School Buses

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost of a no-standing on school buses policy by education and library boards.

Angela Smith: The introduction of a "no standing" policy in relation to school bus transport is one of the issues currently under consideration by the Department of the Environment in its assessment of the four key recommendations of the Northern Ireland Assembly's inquiry into home to school transport. This assessment, which also investigates the abolition of "3 for 2", the fitting of seat belts and the provision of improved signage and lighting, will include a detailed analysis of the costs of implementing these recommendations.
	It is expected that the findings of this work, which is being carried out in partnership with the Department for Regional Development and the Department of Education, will be published later this year.

Sign Language

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the use of sign language in schools in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The general aim of local deaf education is to teach deaf and hearing impaired children to speak wherever possible. This happens with hearing impaired children in mainstream schools and special education units for the hearing impaired, attached to those schools. Occasionally, a child attending a unit needs to be taught, at least partly, through the medium of sign language and this would be provided by the teacher and classroom assistant, where appropriate.
	The only local school to use sign language on a regular basis is Jordanstown Special School, which employs "Total Communication" methods ie a mixture of speech, lip reading and signing.
	The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment, addresses deafness as a disability in a number of ways in the revised curriculum. It will be more holistic and flexible, with greater emphasis on real-world skills, such as communication, and a specific element of Learning for Life and Work. Legislation will be in place by September 2006 and the revised curriculum will be introduced on a phased basis stretching to 2009/10.

Airguns

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving the firing of (a) an air pistol and (b) an air rifle were recorded in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The available information relates to crimes recorded by the police in which firearms are reported to have been used. Statistics are available
	for air weapons, but air pistols and air rifles cannot be separately identified within this category. The available statistics for air weapons are published in Table 2.03 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 02/05, "Crime in England and Wales 2003/04: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime". A copy is available in the Library.
	It should be noted that for an offence in which a firearm is reported to be used, the firearm does not have necessarily have to be fired. It could be used as a blunt instrument against a person or used as a threat.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what guidance his Department has issued to magistrates in England and Wales in respect of applications for antisocial behaviour orders;
	(2)  what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities in England and Wales in respect of applications for antisocial behaviour orders;
	(3)  what guidance his Department has issued to police authorities in England and Wales in respect of applications for anti-social behaviour orders.

Hazel Blears: Our publications "A Guide to Antisocial Behaviour Orders and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts" and "Guidance on Publicising Antisocial Behaviour Orders" together with information provided by our TOGETHER website and Action Line, provides comprehensive guidance for all practitioners, including police authorities, magistrates and local authorities. Joint guidance issued by the Home Office, Youth Justice Board and the Association of Chief Police Officers provides Youth Offending Teams with advice on their role in preventing and reducing antisocial behaviour. The Justices' Clerks' Society and the Judicial Studies Board have both published specific guidance and training material for magistrates on the use of ASBOs. In addition, Her Majesty's Courts Service has recently issued new guidance on ASBOs for judges sitting in the magistrates, crown and county courts.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been accepted into the UK since 1997; and how many of these were (a) Nigerian, (b) Algerian, (c) Iraqi, (d) Chinese, (e) Bangladeshi, (f) Pakistani, (g) Turkish, (h) Albanian, (i) Bosnian, (j) Mexican, (k) Sudanese, (l) Zimbabwean and (m) Palestinian.

Tony McNulty: The requested information on when asylum seekers arrive in the UK is not available. Data on applications by asylum seekers, by nationality, are based on the date when an application is made. Data on applications, and on initial decision outcomes and appeal outcomes are published in the annual bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2003, and (data for 2004) Asylum Statistics: 4th Quarter 2004 United Kingdom. Copies are available in the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	The tables show application, initial decision and appeal outcome data, where available, for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mexico and Palestine that are currently not available on the website.
	
		Asylum applications received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions(30) on applications, 1997–2004(31), nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina Principal applicants
		
			  Applications Decisions 
			  Total Port In country Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Grants of HP(32) Grants of DL(32) 
		
		
			 1997 170 25 145 385 235 120 n/a n/a 
			 1998 160 55 110 95 45 20 n/a n/a 
			 1999 175 50 125 65 30 5 n/a n/a 
			 2000 105 25 80 310 45 25 n/a n/a 
			 2001 50 15 35 190 10 20 n/a n/a 
			 2002 50 5 45 75 5 5 n/a n/a 
			 2003 35 5 30 65 * * — * 
			 2004(33) 15 * 15 25 — n/a — * 
		
	
	
		
			  Decisions 
			  Total refusals Certified refusals Other refusals Third city refusals(34) Non-compliance refusals(35) Grants of ELR under backlog criteria(36)(38) Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria(36)(39) 
		
		
			 1997 25 0 10 10 5 (30) 0 — (30) 0 — 
			 1998 30 5 20 5 * (30) 0 — (30) 0 — 
			 1999 5 5 — 5 * 15 10 
			 2000 185 (30) 0 — 110 * 70 35 20 
			 2001 160 25 70 — 65 (30) 0 — (30) 0 — 
			 2002 65 10 30 — 25 (30) 0 — (30) 0 — 
			 2003 60 * 35 — 20 (30) 0 — (30) 0 — 
			 2004(33) 20 * 15 — 5 (30) 0 — (30) 0 — 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable
	(30) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(31) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with "*' = 1 or 2.
	(32) Humanitarian protection and discretionary leave replaced exceptional leave to remain from 1 April 2003.
	(33) Provisional figures
	(34) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
	(35) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview.
	(36) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum backlog.
	(37) May include a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.
	(38) May include a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	(39) Not available.
	
		Outcome of appeals(40) determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants, nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina,1997–2004 Number of principal appellants
		
			  Appeals determined by adjudicators(41) 
			   Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn 
			  Total Total As percentage of determined Total As percentage of determined Total As percentage of determined 
		
		
			 1997 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 1998 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 1999 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 2000 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 2001 65 15 25 40 65 5 10 
			 2002 65 25 34 35 51 10 15 
			 2003 65 15 22 40 64 10 14 
			 2004(42) 40 10 27 25 66 5 6 
		
	
	n/a = not available.
	(40) Figures rounded to nearest 5 (except percentages), with "*' = 1 or 2.
	Data on appeal outcomes by nationality in this table are derived from electronic sources.
	(41) Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.
	(42) Provisional figures.
	
		Asylum applications received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions(43) on applications, 1997–2004(44),nationals of Mexico Principal applicants
		
			  Applications Decisions 
			  Total Port In country Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Grants of HP(45) Grants of DL(45) 
		
		
			 1997 5 — 5 — — — n/a n/a 
			 1998 * — * * — — n/a n/a 
			 1999 — — — — — — n/a n/a 
			 2000 * * — 5 * — n/a n/a 
			 2001 5 — 5 * — — n/a n/a 
			 2002 5 — 5 * — — n/a n/a 
			 2003 * * — 5 — — — — 
			 2004(46) * — * — — n/a — — 
		
	
	
		
			  Decisions 
			  Total refusals Certified refusals Other refusals Third city refusals(47) Non-compliance refusals(48) Grants of ELR under backlog criteria(49)(51) Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria(49)(52) 
		
		
			 1997 — — — — — (43) 0 — (43) 0 — 
			 1998 * * — — — (43) 0 — (43) 0 — 
			 1999 — — — — — — — 
			 2000 * (43) 0 — * — * — — 
			 2001 * — * — — (43) 0 — (43) 0 — 
			 2002 * * — — * (43) 0 — (43) 0 — 
			 2003 5 — * — * (43) 0 — (43) 0 — 
			 2004(46) — — — — — (43) 0 — (43) 0 — 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable
	(43) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(44) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with "*' = 1 or 2.
	(45) Humanitarian protection and discretionary leave replaced exceptional leave to remain from 1 April 2003.
	(46) Provisional figures
	(47) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
	(48) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview.
	(49) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum backlog.
	(50) May include a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.
	(51) May include a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	(52) 0 Not available.
	
		Outcome of appeals(53) determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants, nationals of Mexico, 1997–2004 Number of principal appellants
		
			  Appeals determined by adjudicators(54) 
			   Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn 
			  Total Total As percentage of determined Total As percentage of determined Total As percentage of determined 
		
		
			 1997 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 1998 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 1999 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 2000 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 2001 — — 0 — 100 — 0 
			 2002 * — 0 * 100 — 0 
			 2003 5 — 0 5 100 — 0 
			 2004(55) * — 0 * 100 — 0 
		
	
	n/a = not available.
	(53) Figures rounded to nearest 5 (except percentages), with "*' = 1 or 2.
	Data on appeal outcomes by nationality in this table are derived from electronic sources.
	(54) Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.
	(55) Provisional figures.
	
		Asylum applications received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions(56) on applications, 1997–2004(57), Palestine  Principal applicants
		
			  Applications Decisions 
			  Total Port In country Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Grants of HP(58) Grants of DL(58) 
		
		
			 1997 110 100 10 45 15 15 n/a n/a 
			 1998 105 65 35 20 10 — n/a n/a 
			 1999 280 175 105 40 15 5 n/a n/a 
			 2000 350 195 155 300 15 15 n/a n/a 
			 2001 375 155 215 70 * * n/a n/a 
			 2002 365 105 255 240 10 10 n/a n/a 
			 2003 345 95 250 1,240 10 10 * 20 
			 2004(59) 465 55 415 550 10 n/a — 20 
		
	
	
		
			  Decisions 
			  Total refusals Certified refusals Other refusals Third city refusals(60) Non-compliance refusals(61) Grants of ELR under backlog criteria(62)(63) Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria(62)(64) 
		
		
			 1997 15 * 10 — 5 (56) 0 — (56) 0 — 
			 1998 10 — 5 5 — (56) 0 — (56) 0 — 
			 1999 15 * 5 10 * 5 — 
			 2000 240 (56) 0 — 150 10 85 30 * 
			 2001 70 10 30 5 25 (56) 0 — (56) 0 — 
			 2002 225 * 170 5 50 (56) 0 — (56) 0 — 
			 2003 1,200 5 1,035 5 155 (56) 0 — (56) 0 — 
			 2004(59) 520 — 410 30 80 (56) 0 — (56) 0 — 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable
	(56) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(57) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with "*' = 1 or 2.
	(58) Humanitarian protection and discretionary leave replaced exceptional leave to remain from 1 April 2003.
	(59) Provisional figures
	(60) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
	(61) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview.
	(62) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum backlog.
	(63) May include a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.
	(64) May include a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	(65) 0 Not available.
	
		Outcome of appeals(66) determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants, Palestine, 1997–2004 Number of principal appellants
		
			  Appeals determined by adjudicators(67) 
			   Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn 
			  Total Total As percentage of determined Total As percentage of determined Total As percentage of determined 
		
		
			 1997 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 1998 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 1999 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 2000 n/a n/a  n/a  n/a  
			 2001 65 20 31 40 61 5 7 
			 2002 50 15 33 30 64 * 2 
			 2003 735 155 21 545 74 35 5 
			 2004(68) 1,010 180 18 805 79 30 3 
		
	
	n/a = not available.
	(66) Figures rounded to nearest 5 (except percentages), with "*' = 1 or 2.
	Data on appeal outcomes by nationality in this table are derived from electronic sources.
	(67) Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.
	(68) Provisional figures.

Burglary

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many house burglaries there have been since 1996; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is published in Table 2.04 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 10/04 entitled "Crime in England and Wales 2003–04". A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

Cigarette/Alcohol Sales

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to prevent the sale of (a) cigarettes and (b) alcohol to underage consumers, with particular reference to enforcement; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The sale of tobacco to children under 16 is prohibited by the Children and Young People (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1933 and the law is enforced by Trading Standards Officers. The sale of alcohol to people under the age of 18 is regulated by the Licensing Act 1964 (to be replaced by Licensing Act 2003 from November 2005), and the law is enforced by Trading Standards Officers and the Police.
	In the "Choosing Health" White Paper, the Government set out proposals for new powers to ban retailers from selling tobacco products, on a temporary or permanent basis, if they repeatedly flout the law. The Violent Crime Reduction Bill includes proposals for a new power for the Police and Trading Standards Officers to ban the sale of alcohol at licensed premises for up to 48 hours if they persistently sell to under-18s.

Clear-up Rates

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average clear-up rate for (a) murder, (b) assault and (c) burglary in (i) England and (ii) Wales has been in each year since 2001.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		Detection rates for recorded crime in England Percentage of offences detected1, 2
		
			 Year Murder Common assault(71) Burglary 
		
		
			 2001/02 83 79 20 
			 2002/03 89 66 20 
			 2003/04 92 64 20 
		
	
	(69) Changes in detection rates may have been influenced by ongoing effects of audits of the National Crime Recording Standard.
	(70) Offences detected in the current year may have been initially recorded in an earlier year and for this reason some percentages may exceed 100.
	(71) Includes offences of common assault and racially aggravated common assault.
	
		Detection rates for recorded crime in Wales Percentage of offences detected1, 2
		
			 Year Murder Common assault(74) Burglary 
		
		
			 2001/02 120 44 11 
			 2002/03 91 40 12 
			 2003/04 120 37 12 
		
	
	(72) Changes in detection rates may have been influenced by ongoing effects of audits of the National Crime Recording Standard.
	(73) Offences detected in the current year may have been initially recorded in an earlier year and for this reason some percentages may exceed 100.
	(74) Includes racially aggravated common assault.

Crime

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed in each London borough in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004, listed in descending order of number of crimes.

Hazel Blears: Data for all recorded crime in 2003–04 by Basic Command Unit (BCD) are provided in the table. Figures for all crime at BCU level were not collected centrally prior to 2001–02.
	
		Number of recorded offences in London Basic Command Units (BCUs), 2003–04
		
			 Basic Command Unit Number of offences 
		
		
			 City of Westminster 79,296 
			 Camden 51,016 
			 Lambeth 49,937 
			 Southwark 46,276 
			 Islington 40,816 
			 Newham 40,615 
			 Tower Hamlets 39,188 
			 Hackney 39,035 
			 Ealing 37,927 
			 Croydon 37,043 
			 Haringey 36,807 
			 Barnet 36,288 
			 Brent 35,837 
			 Wandsworth 33,567 
			 Lewisham 31,577 
			 Greenwich 31,347 
			 Bromley 30,918 
			 Waltham Forest 30,912 
			 Hounslow 30,416 
			 Enfield 29,998 
			 Kensington & Chelsea 29,873 
			 Hillingdon 39,349 
			 Hammersmith & Fulham 28,650 
			 Redbridge 28,438 
			 Havering 22165 
			 Barking & Dagenham 22,144 
			 Bexley 20,344 
			 Merton 18,378 
			 Harrow 18,430 
			 Kingston upon Thames 16,309 
			 Sutton 16,154 
			 Richmond upon Thames 15,446 
			 Heathrow 6,071 
			 Bishopsgate * 5,200 
			 Snowhill* 4,050 
			 Total 1,070,177 
		
	
	Bishopsgate and Snowhill are City of London Police BCUs

Crime

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many areas have been designated under section 30 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 in (a) each London borough, (b) England and (c) England and Wales in the past 12 months.

Hazel Blears: It is estimated that dispersal powers have been authorised in over 400 areas in England and Wales between January 2004, when the powers came into force and September 2004. The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that, between January and December 2004, the Metropolitan Police authorised 63 dispersal areas under section 30 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. A breakdown by London borough is shown in the following table.
	
		London boroughs: Dispersal areas—January to December 2005
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Barnet 1 
			 Brent 2 
			 Bromley 6 
			 Camden 2 
			 Croydon 4 
			 Dagenham 2 
			 Ealing 5 
			 Enfield 4 
			 Greenwich 1 
			 Hackney 1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3 
			 Haringey 1 
			 Hillingdon 5 
			 Hounslow 3 
			 Islington 4 
			 Lambeth 2 
			 Lewisham 1 
			 Merton 2 
			 Newham 1 
			 Redbridge 2 
			 Richmond 3 
			 Romford 1 
			 Tower Hamlets 2 
			 Waltham Forest 1 
			 Wandsworth 1 
			 Westminster 3 
			 Total 63

Drink-driving

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 755W, on drink-driving, how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions for drink-driving resulted in custodial sentences in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police authority.

Hazel Blears: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally.
	Information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database on convictions and custodial sentences for drink-driving offences by police force area 1997 to 2003 (latest available) is given in the table. Data for 2004 will be available early in 2006.
	
		Findings of guilt and immediate custodial sentences at all courts for offences of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugsby police force area, England and Wales 1997–2003 Number of offences
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
			 Police force area Findings of guilt Immediate custody(77) Findings of guilt Immediate custody(77) Findings of guilt Immediate custody(77) Findings of guilt Immediate custody(77) 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,812 163 2,566 157 2,728 165 2,462 152 
			 Bedfordshire 1,146 119 1,060 96 869 87 797 89 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,092 56 1,060 62 941 43 793 41 
			 Cheshire 1,969 97 1,903 119 1,827 133 1,652 122 
			 Cleveland 926 61 870 63 811 57 777 56 
			 Cumbria 931 49 856 51 871 37 806 50 
			 Derbyshire 1,612 147 1,547 202 1,463 181 1,417 126 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,342 91 2,265 127 2,277 112 2,199 104 
			 Dorset 1,214 93 1,186 88 1,120 96 1,115 84 
			 Durham 1,044 66 1,035 53 1,137 81 1,124 76 
			 Essex 2,736 228 2,438 233 2,528 261 2,462 237 
			 Gloucestershire 1,067 48 985 36 889 51 804 37 
			 Greater Manchester 4,806 440 4,715 453 4,850 464 4,801 428 
			 Hampshire 3,774 243 3,597 231 3,725 213 3,472 244 
			 Hertfordshire 1,670 90 1,672 91 1,679 90 1,552 98 
			 Humberside 1,274 76 1,358 87 1,323 97 1,371 128 
			 Kent 2,321 97 2,627 155 2,633 133 2,592 134 
			 Lancashire 3,389 224 2,945 178 3,010 184 2,584 163 
			 Leicestershire 1,648 183 1,485 140 1,624 188 1,531 152 
			 Lincolnshire 1,088 47 979 36 941 44 816 48 
			 London, City of 436 8 301 9 236 5 162 4 
			 Merseyside 2,719 304 2,451 326 2,137 296 2,128 286 
			 Met Police 16,165 1,270 13,889 1,050 12,414 838 11,801 891 
			 Norfolk 1,116 49 1,118 43 1,010 64 935 45 
			 Northamptonshire 1,107 109 1,062 73 1,058 91 782 90 
			 Northumbria 2,625 184 2,457 194 2,463 229 2,621 215 
			 North Yorkshire 1,365 77 1,205 77 1,124 60 1,073 67 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,031 255 1,804 247 1,802 262 1,722 210 
			 South Yorkshire 2,296 204 2,002 178 1,927 149 2,122 170 
			 Staffordshire(78) 2,036 132 1,955 140 1,711 143 n/a n/a 
			 Suffolk 1,050 53 1,042 60 1,089 71 902 74 
			 Surrey 1,380 64 1,328 58 1,417 47 1,539 61 
			 Sussex 2,373 110 2,113 113 2,224 120 2,112 136 
			 Thames Valley 4,070 215 3,896 195 3,725 216 3,496 212 
			 Warwickshire 837 44 784 53 856 38 786 42 
			 West Mercia 1,947 87 1,794 97 1,747 114 1,631 101 
			 West Midlands 6,351 598 5,582 532 4,775 532 4,559 451 
			 West Yorkshire 3,953 394 3,669 329 3,597 358 3,375 287 
			 Wiltshire 1,043 27 1,108 39 1,009 45 930 28 
			 England 93,761 6,802 86,709 6,471 83,567 6,395 79,671 6,076 
			  
			 Dyfed Powys 1,029 44 995 38 944 48 858 45 
			 Gwent 1,166 61 1,203 84 1,079 78 1,211 99 
			 North Wales 1,354 96 1,306 95 1,248 94 1,332 92 
			 South Wales 2,892 257 2,903 239 2,526 282 2,757 255 
			 Wales 6,441 458 6,407 456 5,797 502 6,158 491 
			  
			 England and Wales 100,202 7,260 93,116 6,927 89,364 6,897 85,829 6,567 
		
	
	
		Number of offences
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
			 Police force area Findings of guilt Immediate custody(77) Findings of guilt Immediate custody(77) Findings of guilt Immediate custody(77) 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,197 129 2,401 124 2,666 167 
			 Bedfordshire 914 79 955 82 1,072 72 
			 Cambridgeshire 813 51 852 41 933 56 
			 Cheshire 1,529 96 1,993 103 1,905 110 
			 Cleveland 887 77 921 71 981 61 
			 Cumbria 761 51 768 37 843 37 
			 Derbyshire 1,411 140 1,465 164 1,617 168 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,369 128 2,441 95 2,667 121 
			 Dorset 1,150 91 1,199 83 1,264 73 
			 Durham 1,097 86 1,136 68 1,170 77 
			 Essex 2,456 264 2,522 267 2,622 311 
			 Gloucestershire 865 39 926 44 890 37 
			 Greater Manchester 4,715 454 4,720 474 4,743 437 
			 Hampshire 3,464 235 3,846 243 3,663 234 
			 Hertfordshire 1,666 94 1,894 90 1,904 78 
			 Humberside 1,259 126 1,395 113 1,445 150 
			 Kent 2,575 165 2,745 152 2,811 179 
			 Lancashire 2,304 148 2,599 159 2,652 146 
			 Leicestershire 1,546 140 1,659 140 1,725 143 
			 Lincolnshire 877 60 847 56 1,111 42 
			 London, City of 162 10 221 12 235 4 
			 Merseyside 2,195 217 2,293 216 2,687 215 
			 Met Police 11,260 928 12,905 927 12,621 922 
			 Norfolk 1,143 75 1,220 55 1,274 59 
			 Northamptonshire 399 65 236 35 799 65 
			 Northumbria 2,529 217 2,588 188 2,747 187 
			 North Yorkshire 1,066 55 1,119 63 1,194 51 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,598 187 1,420 129 1,644 149 
			 South Yorkshire 2,020 159 1,945 165 2,089 125 
			 Staffordshire(78) 1,513 136 1,704 143 1,733 141 
			 Suffolk 920 43 1,105 79 1,213 66 
			 Surrey 1,592 65 1,614 68 1,464 44 
			 Sussex 2,358 128 2,306 149 2,430 120 
			 Thames Valley 3,275 210 4,317 219 3,884 159 
			 Warwickshire 880 33 841 40 918 33 
			 West Mercia 1,740 91 1,719 93 1,797 100 
			 West Midlands 4,914 471 5,050 438 5,233 420 
			 West Yorkshire 3,220 331 3,564 268 3,720 260 
			 Wiltshire 1,045 53 1,005 54 1,031 62 
			 England 78,684 6,127 84,456 5,947 87,397 5,881 
			
			 Dyfed Powys 867 36 927 47 995 46 
			 Gwent 1,152 76 1,074 74 1,149 94 
			 North Wales 1,227 87 1,270 71 1,326 76 
			 South Wales 2,812 295 2,761 236 2,840 211 
			 Wales 6,058 494 6,032 428 6,310 427 
			
			 England and Wales 84,742 6,621 90,488 6,375 93,707 6,308 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(77) Immediate custody includes sentences of Secure Training Order, Detention and Training Order, Young Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment.
	(78) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at detailed level and have been excluded from the table.

Identity Cards

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the latest estimate is of costs of (a) processing applications and enrolment, (b) producing cards, (c) database design, (d) producing identification numbers, (e) application checks, (f) updating the register and (g) operating costs for the identity card scheme in the starting and operating phases under the different scenarios of a voluntary and compulsory card, indicating expected margins of error.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 7 July 2005
	The latest cost estimates were published in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published on 25 May 2005 alongside the Identity Cards Bill. The current best estimate is that the total average running costs for issuing passports and ID cards to UK nationals is estimated at £584 million. This includes the costs of processing applications and enrolments, producing cards, producing identification numbers, application checks, updating the Register and operating costs. It does not include the cost of database design which is a resource set up cost. It would not be appropriate to disclose either the breakdown of the current best estimate of running costs or any set up costs at this stage, as this would hinder the Department's ability to obtain value for money in the forthcoming procurement process.
	A large part of the costs cover the issuing of ID cards alongside passports and voluntary applications for ID cards. Estimating the costs of issuing cards on a compulsory basis would depend on the timing of the move to compulsion and the nature of any compulsion order approved by Parliament. It is therefore not possible to provide such a scenario.

Identity Cards

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) revised global figure and (b) estimated margin of error is for the cost of the identity card scheme under the different scenarios of a voluntary and compulsory card distinguishing between (i) start-up and (ii) continuing costs.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 4 July 2005
	The latest cost estimates were published in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published on 25 May 2005 alongside the Identity Cards Bill. It would not be appropriate at this time to publish an estimate of set-up costs as this may hinder the Department's ability to obtain value for money in the forthcoming procurement phase.
	The current best estimate for the total average annual running costs for issuing passports and ID cards to UK nationals is estimated at £584 million. This estimate does include appropriate allowances for the running cost impact of some set-up costs, for example the cost of capital. As for the "margin of error" the estimates of both set-up costs and running costs include allowances for contingency and optimism bias. It would not be appropriate to disaggregate the running cost estimate at this stage for the same reason as it would not be appropriate to publish the set-up cost estimate.
	A large part of the running costs cover the issuing of ID cards alongside passports and voluntary applications for ID cards. Estimating the costs of issuing cards on a compulsory basis would depend on the timing of the move to compulsion and the nature of any compulsion order approved by Parliament. It is therefore not possible to provide such a scenario.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's definition is of a police officer.

Hazel Blears: The term "police officer" is not defined in primary legislation, but it was used in the police conduct regulations 2004 (SI 2004/645), where it is defined in regulation 3(1) as a member of a police force or special constable.

South Wales Police

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes there have been in police numbers in South Wales Police H Division since 1997.

Hazel Blears: Information on strength at basic Command Unit (BCU) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March for each year. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002 and is set out in the table. The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Barbara Wilding) and within the H Swansea Divison deployment of officers is a matter for the Divisional Commander.
	Information on the number of police officers in BCUs for 31 March 2005 will be published later this month.
	
		H Swansea DivisionPolice Numbers 2002 to 2004
		
			 Year (as at 31 March) Number of Police Officers 
		
		
			 2002(82) 464 
			 2003(83) 500 
			 2004(83) 498 
		
	
	(82) HM Inspectorate of constabulary database
	(83) Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, Police Statistics

Violent Crime Bill

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the provisions of the Violent Crime Bill relating to replica guns include the sale of (a) such guns and (b) plastic ammunition from catalogues from companies based (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad.

Hazel Blears: Clause 30 of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill makes it an offence to manufacture, sell or import a realistic imitation firearm whose appearance makes it indistinguishable, for all practical purposes, from a particular make or model of firearm or from a firearm falling within an existing category of firearm. The ban does not cover plastic ammunition. It will apply to all methods of sale. People who buy from companies based abroad will not be able to import their purchases.

Weapons (Possession/Amnesty)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people have been convicted of the possession of an illegal weapon in each London borough since 1996;
	(2)  how many people have been convicted of gun crimes in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many people aged 14 to 24 years old have been convicted of carrying an illegal knife since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information contained in the first table gives the number of offenders found guilty of Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, by London borough, 1996 to 2003.
	It is not possible to identify the number of offenders found guilty of gun crime as the individual circumstances of the offence are not collected.
	The information contained in the second table gives the number of offenders aged 14 to 24, found guilty of having an article with a blade or point in a public place, England and Wales 1997 to 2003.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of offenders(84) found guilty of possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (85), by police force area and magistrates court/London borough, 1996 to 2003
		
			 Magistrates courts/borough 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Inner London magistrates courts(86)   
			 City of London Police 
			 Guildhall Justice Rooms 15 8 3 5 2 6 15 10 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police
			 Bow Street 50 45 40 23 26 25 41 28 
			 Camberwell Green/Tower Bridge 64 84 81 89 88 123 155 118 
			 Greenwich and Woolwich 54 58 69 44 57 67 69 63 
			 Highbury Corner 115 113 89 49 71 52 103 83 
			 Horseferry Road 37 31 49 21 37 37 55 40 
			 Marylebone 40 39 28 22 2 1 2 2 
			 South Western 31 44 33 22 28 51 50 48 
			 Thames 37 39 9 48 79 130 141 148 
			 West London 15 39 24 28 39 39 63 50 
			 Inner London Juvenile Courts(87) 72 4   
			  
			 Outer London boroughs
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Barking and Dagenham 15 16 22 10 21 33 47 49 
			 Barnet 18 13 10 14 18 24 26 27 
			 Bexley 14 14 21 13 17 10 22 14 
			 Brent 27 39 26 41 41 50 52 37 
			 Bromley 8 13 14 13 12 25 31 15 
			 Croydon 32 58 49 33 38 48 66 45 
			 Ealing 32 29 27 26 29 39 47 30 
			 Enfield 12 24 26 13 15 24 42 45 
			 Haringey 34 44 36 24 40 50 77 70 
			 Harrow 13 14 7 5 8 30 18 18 
			 Havering 8 15 9 15 17 21 33 31 
			 Hillingdon 26 20 26 20 18 25 41 29 
			 Hounslow 9 26 23 23 25 23 23 21 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 12 20 16 15 14 19 18 18 
			 Merton 16 29 19 11 12 19 15 12 
			 Newham 36 31 32 41 37 71 86 89 
			 Redbridge 18 22 29 15 17 28 37 44 
			 Richmond upon Thames 11 7 3 7 7 18 13 10 
			 Sutton 9 12 12 11 12 15 13 18 
			 Waltham Forest 43 33 30 17 30 48 69 34 
			 Total Metropolitan Police 908 975 859 713 855 1,145 1,455 1,236 
			 Total Greater London 923 983 862 718 857 1,151 1,470 1,246 
		
	
	(84) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(85) Includes possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises.
	(86) Information held centrally does not allow a breakdown of cases by borough in the inner London area.
	(87) Cases included with adult courts from 1998.
	
		Number of offenders(88) aged 14 to 24 years found guilty at all courts for having an article with a blade or point in a public place (89), England and Wales 1997 to 2003
		
			  Found guilty 
		
		
			 1997 1,607 
			 1998 1,752 
			 1999 1,622 
			 2000 1,799 
			 2001 2,388 
			 2002 2,606 
			 2003 2,552 
		
	
	(88) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(89) Includes: having an article with a blade or point on school premises

Young Offenders

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men, (b) women and (c) young offenders are in prison; and how many on average were in prison in each category in each of the last 10 years.

Fiona Mactaggart: On 31 May 2005 there were 61,416 adult males aged 21 years and over, 4,017 adult females aged 21 years and over, and 10,708 young persons aged under 21 held in prison establishments in England and Wales, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system. Averages for each of the last 10 years, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, are provided in the following table. Figures for young persons include some 21-year-olds who have not been reclassified as adults, and includes both male and female inmates.
	
		Average population in prison establishments(90),by age group and sex England and Wales
		
			  Adult males Adult females Young persons 
		
		
			 1995 40,628 1,702 8,630 
			 1996 43,649 1,935 9,696 
			 1997 47,979 2,297 10,838 
			 1998 51,191 2,650 11,456 
			 1999 50,700 2,781 11,289 
			 2000 50,685 2,851 11,065 
			 2001 52,142 3,216 10,942 
			 2002 55,708 3,681 11,396 
			 2003 58,221 3,869 10,947 
			 2004 59,897 3,950 10,809 
		
	
	(90) Excluding police cells